Golf Destination: Branson, Missouri

With more than 100 live shows, a dozen golf courses, a theme park, historic downtown and all the places to stay and eat needed to keep 8 million annual visitors happy, Branson, Missouri, is one of the hottest vacation destinations going. It all starts with the flight into the new Branson Airport where you look down over the steep forested Ozark Mountains with plunging ravines, rivers and lakes, a perfect canvas for golf.

Called the "Live Music Show Capital of America" there are no casinos. Rather Branson is show-time-meets-national-park, a family-friendly place with headliners like Andy Williams, The Presleys, the Osmonds, The Platters, Shoji Tabuchi, and the Six brothers.

In the middle of the country, Branson tilts west. Some folks wear cowboy hats and boots and they go fishing on Lake Taneycomo, hiking, and rock climbing along with wolfing down hub-sized pancakes at funky Billy Gails Cafe.

Many of the 8,000 residents like to play golf. As "Mr. Banjo" Buck Trent says, "We just show up, play golf and go do our shows. Oh, yeah."

Top Tracks

The Payne Stewart Golf Club
A must-play, the new Payne Stewart Golf Club sweeps downhill and tucks into a small green on the first hole while the finishing par 4 features a huge swale and a scary bunker complex. As you play, expect challenges like carries over water and ravines.

Designed by Chuck Smith with Bobby Clampett, the course pays tribute to Payne's life and legacy. Payne, a Missouri native, would have been proud of this track.

Each hole recalls incidences in Payne's life. i.e. Payne's Pit, hole #3 and Albatross, hole #4 evoking the time he made the only double-eagle of his career playing Spyglass Hill.

It's on the longer side for women, but very fair with no huge par 3's and fun to play. Most men play from the blues at 6,741 yards. The attractive clubhouse overlooks the course.

It's a beauty.

Five tees: 7,324 to 5,323 yards
Green fees: $69-$92 ($69 winter)

100 North Payne Stewart Drive, Branson, MO 65616; 417-337-2963
paynestewartgolfclub.com


Branson Creek Golf Club
Tom Fazio's Branson Creek is a beautiful, well maintained track with wide sweeping vistas and well-framed greens. It's a course where you can really rip your drives like on hole #12 where you're hitting downhill to a slight dogleg right.

Characterized by exceptional par 3s and elevated tees, to build this $22 million track, Fazio moved a behemoth amount of dirt and rock: 1.2 million cubic yards of topsoil was trucked in while 1.6 million cubic yards of rocks were blasted.

Views of the Ozarks are spectacular. Check out the cave in the limestone cliff behind the 17th green.

Managed by Troon Golf, currently operations are being run out of a temporary pro shop but a new clubhouse is in the works.

5 tees: 7,036 to 5,032 yards
Rating/Slope: 73.0/133
Green fees: $48 to $99 including cart

1001 Branson Creek Blvd Hollister, MO 65672; 888-772-9990
bransoncreekgolf.com

LedgeStone Country Club
Described by Golf Digest as a "masterpiece of mountain golf architecture," the LedgeStone Country Club course winds through LedgeStone Village, but homes do not intrude.

Designed by Tom Clark, the backdrop of the Ozarks can be distracting but real trouble comes from super-fast, large and tricky Bent Grass greens. There is also water throughout the course to further up the challenge with forced carries.

Swales roll through tree-lined Zoysia fairways, so having a level lie is no safe bet even with a good drive although mounding can funnel your ball towards the center.

This is a very pretty course, so tuck your camera in your bag.

5 tees: 6,879 to 4,928 yards
Rating/Slope: 73.0/132 - 69.3/116

1600 Ledgestone Way, Branson West, MO 65737; 417 335 8187
ledgestonegolf.com


John Daly's Murder Rock
Part of the Branson Creek Residential Community, John Daly's Murder Rock rises to plateaus where the views of the Ozarks is pretty breathtaking.

Named for the rock where Alfie Boli and his gang used to ambush travelers, considering its tie to this notorious bit of history, it's fairly benign as far as treachery goes.

Fairways are thin and roll-up greens are slow. There are also some blind holes and it's on the short side considering it's named after the big boomer.

There is a crazy practice area where you're hitting into the side of a hill but it has a nice clubhouse and pro shop.

Murder's sister course, Branson Creek is the course to play if time is limited. Murder is still a work in progress. Stay tuned.

4 tees: 5,600 - 5,000 yards
Par: 71
Green fees: $42-$80 inc. cart

1250 Golf Club Drive, Hollister, MO 65672; 417-332-3259
murderrock.com

Off-Course Breaks

There is a boatload of things to do including watersports, hiking, and more than 100 live show, 50 plus theaters and so many headliners, you'll run out of ink getting their autographs.

Silver Dollar City
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Silver Dollar City is not your typical amusement park. Sure it has awesome rides and plenty of Ozark regional foods, but here family fun includes regional crafts with more than 100 demonstrating craftsmen -glassblowers, potters, and quiltmakers. Also enjoy more than 40 live shows and take a ride on the Silver Dollar City Train.

Branson Zipline Tour
Play Tarzan and Jane by whizzing through the tree tops on a cable. Certified guides will be with you all the way. The only scary parts are taking that first push off down the line and walking the swing bridges to the first platform (although you are safely cabled as you go). No experience is required - just a sense of adventure. (To participate you need to weigh between 70 and 275 lbs).

Lodging

Getting your zzzzzs in Branson is a no-brainer. There is a full range of places to stay from chain hotels like the Ramada Branson and Clarion Hotel Branson, both on Hwy 76 in the midst of the theaters.

For something special check out:

Hilton Promenade: At Branson Landing, this Hilton has very smart accommodations in the center of all the action downtown. Beds are totally comfortable, showers good and the rooms are, well, roomy. The desk is also large with convenient plugs for charging things. The Hilton Convention Center Hotel is across the street.

Big Cedar Resort: Big Cedar, a sprawling property on table Rock Lake, with log lodges, lakeview cabins and waterfront marina, is a vast playground for those who love the outdoors. Owned by Bass Pro Shops, the wilderness resort theme is carried throughout.

Chateau on the Lake: For romantic digs check into the Chateau on the Lake on Table Rock Lake. Rooms are deliciously elegant with French Country furnishings and there is a stunning spa, marina, pool, three places to eat and drink and a number of activities.

Keeter Center/Mabee Lodge
The Mabee Lodge in the College of the Ozarks' Keeter Center, is an exceptional place to stay staffed with great attention to detail by students who work in various jobs on the campus in lieu of tuition. The lodge-style lounge and rooms evoke a first-class ski lodge rather than hotel which is why we like it. 417-239-1900

For Condo Accommodations & Golf
StoneBridge Village & Resort: 866 322 1372
Thousand Hills Resort: 877 262 0430.

Sweet Golf Deals

Tee for Two package with the Keeter Center/Mabee Lodge at $299 includes accommodations in Loft or Sky View Suite, golf for two with a cart at Branson Creek GC, day snack pack for two. 417-239-1900; keetercenter.edu

Discover Branson is offering customized play and stay deals from $108 with several hotels including Ramada, Quality Inn and Thousand Hills. 877-355- 3477; bransongolf.discoverbranson.com

Eats & Treats

High End
Level 2 Steakhouse in the Hilton Convention Center Hotel in Branson Landing, is sophisticated, smart. Their specialty is steak but other choices are just as good like their pan seared Hawaiian Ahi Tuna appetizer, calamari and the Missouri Butter Cake dessert. 417 243 3433; Prices $30-$60

Casual
Cantina Laredo in Branson Landing has a great bar, super margaritas and wait 'til you dig into the avocado dip and Mexican fare. 417 334 6062

Dobyns Dining Room in the Keeter Center on the campus of the College of the Ozarks is a lodge-style restaurant serving lunch and dinner. Locally produced veggies and fruits are used in food prep. Enjoy student entertainment and take home some killer pastries. 417 239 1900

Texas Land & Cattle Steakhouse on Branson Landing within sight of the fountains,dishes up large portions of burgers, fries, salads and other hearty food. 417 337 8200; Big Cedar

Big Cedar Resort offers Truman for a yummy quick meal like sandwiches, paninis or book a table at Devils Pool Restaurant & Buzzard Bar where you dine on southern fare, perhaps hickory smoked prime rib, smoked trout or steaks under exposed rafters and bark-covered beams. On colder days, catch the warmth from the big stone fireplace. 417-335-2777; 800 225 6343

Pubs
Waxy O'Shea's Irish Pub serves up Irish food and hospitality along with late-night fun. 417-348-1759

Club 57 downstairs from Dick Clark's American Bandstand Grill take in Club 57's Happy Hour Tues. - Sat. with live entertainment, $2 bottles of beer and $5 draft pitchers plus munchies. Karaoke on Wed. and live music on Thurs. - Sat. with room to dance. 417-332-1960

Getting There

Branson Airport (BKG) is 10 miles south of downtown Branson. 417-334-7813
Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF) is about 43 miles from Branson. 417-869-0300

Best Time to Go

A mild climate means courses stay open year-round offering winter discounts averaging $50 including a cart. Spring and fall are the best times to play as summers can be hot, winters a bit chilly.

Rants and Raves

Spectacular mountain scenery; year-round golf; soul-satisfying southern food. A bit hard to get to from some gateways requiring a change of plane. But worth it.

Nitty Gritty

800-214-3661
ExploreBranson.com